Our Trip to NYC

Wow what a fun day! I totally recommend a day trip to NYC when you're feeling sad and picked-on.

We left the house about 8:30am, to get to church by 11am. We made it, and met LL (my brother) in the foyer. He was decked out in his tailored grey Italian suit and looking oh-so-metro. We only stayed for Sacrament Meeting, then we went to lunch at a Caribbean restaurant called Malecon. Oh my goodness, the roasted chicken was amazing! We also had fried yucca (a first and last for me), rice, fried bananas, and beans. We all ate our heads off, and still had two take-home boxes stuffed full. We stopped off at his apartment to put the food in the fridge and change clothes. Then we hopped a subway down to Times Square.

I'm glad I had a seasoned subway veteran with me on my first underground excursion. I would have for sure gotten lost and confused if I had been on my own. We came out of the underground, blinking, and acting like tourists. I had forgotten my camera, so I borrowed LL's. He just emailed me the pix yesterday, and I figured out Flickr this morning. Hopefully I'll be able to figure out how to let you all see them! Until then, click here.

We passed by Radio City Music Hall, and the NBC Studios. We were convinced to go up to the observation floors of the Rockefeller Center, and that's where we got the best photos of the city. Then we had some hot chocolate in the Starbucks downstairs. A panhandler asked me for my spare change; I gave him 23 cents. I think he was offended, because he chased after us, asking for more. After that, we got DD some oboe reeds, and then we hit the M&Ms and Hershey's stores. I overloaded on both chocolate, and pressed pennies. We got back on the Subway headed back to LL's apartment. Three brothers got on, selling bags of M&Ms, "not as a fund-raiser, but to put money in my pocket." We can respect enterprising young people, here's your dollar. It being Sunday, there was someone preaching a bit of fire and brimstone. Although as I listened, I didn't hear anything that contradicted what I believe in.

We got back to the apartment (a space that I cannot believe that four 20-something men occupy, as it is clean) and collected our leftovers and took our leave. We got lost trying to leave, but we ended up seeing the Yankee Stadiums and we didn't get into any too-scary neighbourhoods. We stopped and had dinner at Cracker Barrel (my suggestion, I love comfort food) and fell into bed when we got home. It was a wonderful day!

Rhinebeck Stay-cation

We are not going to Rhinebeck. We want to go, some of our favourite people are going to be there. But we cannot justify the gas money to get there, and 2 nights in a motel, plus spending money. I have been agonising over this for a few weeks, and yesterday was Fast Sunday, so I prayed about it and got my answer. I am sad not to go, but I honestly wasn't properly prepared both financially and mentally. I knew that going to such a huge event takes personal organisation, and mine is in short supply since I seem to be using it all up at home, trying to get all my stuff put away.

However, I will be going to Stitches. My LYS is offering a bus trip that includes transportation and admittance and the price seems very reasonable to me. It will be a very long day, but I'll be able to meet up with AlisonH and I'll be with my friends from Woolbearers. It will be okay, I feel that this is the right decision.

ETA
I found out today why we aren't going to Rhinebeck. We are going to NYC to go to church with my brother instead.